Well, JD, as soon as I saw the word 'rattlesnake', I knew it would be a good story. I've lived in several places crawling with rattlesnakes, and what I always did was to pay people $5 per king snake that they brought me to turn loose on the property, even under the house. The king snakes would drive the rattlers out and gobble down rodents too. Out in the middle of nowhere, I never had so much as a single mouse in the house. King snakes never bothered the dogs either. Of course I'm not sure the opposite was true.

@TheAppalachianStoryteller

3 ай бұрын

I ain’t never liked a snake, ever

@karenroot450

3 ай бұрын

@@TheAppalachianStorytellerhey there are some good snakes amongst the scary ones!

@Nofucksgiven22

3 ай бұрын

That is a great idea. I have never thought of that. Though I do run my dogs in an area that seems to have no rattlesnakes, but lots of king snakes. I just never thought to put them on the property. GENIUS!

@the_hanged_clown

3 ай бұрын

lies and slander, snakes can't crawl!

@frostyfrances4700

3 ай бұрын

@@Nofucksgiven22 - If we go about it right, nature balances itself. Now my other solution might not appeal to some, but as a kid I played with almost everything, including spiders. If you let a few of them live indoors with you, they'll take care of a lot of other creepy crawlies and not bother you one bit. According to Zillow my house is 140 yrs old, and you know how notorious most structures that age are for all kinds of pests. But I never see any partly bc I do see the occasional spider scurrying out of my way. So I don't bother spidey and he leaves me alone too.

You did a good job telling this story. "He got above his raising" is what people would have said about him (when I was young). People still do disappear around here to this day. "Better watch your step", didn't always mean look good where you are walking. My mother hated people who came to the house asking her to vote for them. I've seen some of them run to get away from her. Mom lived to be 92 years old. She never registered to vote; and, she preached that women were not supposed to vote according to the Bible (all her life). She would jump on me (every year after I voted) saying, "You just cancelled a man's vote." I would answer her, "There's a lot more votes that need cancelling." "Why don't you register and cancel a vote with me the next time". This would set her off preaching again. I never thought I would miss her preaching on this subject; but, I do miss her.

@TheAppalachianStoryteller

3 ай бұрын

lots of wisdom in this post, thanks for sharing

@puttervids472

Ай бұрын

I wonder. If I may. This probably will get deleted. But. Was she wrong ? 😅. Not in abject premise. But in practice. Was she wrong ?

@Last_Chance.

Ай бұрын

I love old school women. They don't make em like that anymore. Unfortunately. I would do anything to have a queen like her to grow old y

My family vacationed in Gatlinburg in 1960s.....it was Hillbilly Heaven...Ancestors since 1740s, Virginia & Kentucky....

I was born in East Tennessee. Washington county. My dad was military. Always had a connection to Johnson City. On my momma's side of the family. I know where Sevier county is. Love your stories! My daddy's people come from Wayne county. Down near Alabama We're Ulster Scot by birth! My family goes back 3 generations at least! Thanks for your stories! Probably to the 1830's in Wayne county. Love your stories! Makes me feel at home in Tennessee! GoVols!

@TheAppalachianStoryteller

3 ай бұрын

Well, I appreciate you sharing that brother and appreciate you watching the channel. Go Vols!

I get so wrapped up in these stories,it's hard to tell fact from fiction. There are some details that don't add up, but I'm pretty sure that's just the way you wanted it. You always leave me with questions, and wishing there was more. 😂😂

@TheAppalachianStoryteller

3 ай бұрын

I always to my best to leave a little mystery or reason for folks to comment :) Hope all is well Rusty, enjoy this beautiful weekend

@rustylynch6059

3 ай бұрын

@@TheAppalachianStoryteller I'm going to try my best to enjoy it. We had water running through our basement from the rains this week. Nothing unusual, nothing of value lost, just a mess to clean up.

@TheAppalachianStoryteller

3 ай бұрын

@@rustylynch6059 man that sucks, I lived a summer in Detroit with family as a teen and I remember all their basements flooded on the regular.

@frostyfrances4700

3 ай бұрын

​@@TheAppalachianStoryteller - That's why I'm part mountain goat. I want to be up high somewhere it doesn't flood. Tiny Town's 850' above sea level. It's only about 10 square blocks, but the west side of town where I live is the top of the mound. So everything flows away from us. And bc of the cliff, tornadoes that rush at us across the lower plains always veer off when they hit the big wall here in Tornado Alley. I did an awful lot of research b4 moving here. Of course being alone and retired, I didn't have other factors to consider. The chows were always happy as long as we were together.

@dittohead7044

3 ай бұрын

@@TheAppalachianStoryteller Funny how many of my neighbors in Detroit were southerners.

I love the old pictures you use especially the ones with clock towers that show the time. Pictures are a frozen moment in time and allows us to go back and be there. Good story JD. 🙂

@TheAppalachianStoryteller

3 ай бұрын

I love that particular photo too, and I’ve used it a few times. It’s really a great scene. The county court day 100 years ago was a spectacle that everybody with business or no business congregated at the courthouse lawn just to see the excitement.

"Children paused from their spiritless play",ye have a good dose of the Blarney in your storytelling. Fantastic!🇮🇪

@TheAppalachianStoryteller

2 ай бұрын

Thank you ❤️

Well JD we know what happened to that man don’t we!? Great story especially cuz I can’t sleep very well tonight. Thanks again. Can’t wait for your next story they are fantastic

@TheAppalachianStoryteller

3 ай бұрын

Thank you Karen 💜

It's going to be a great day, when it begins with JD! God Bless you!

@TheAppalachianStoryteller

3 ай бұрын

❤️

Another awesome story sir. God bless you and your family 🙏

@TheAppalachianStoryteller

3 ай бұрын

Thank you John, have a great day, brother

Another good em JD!!!❤ My Daddy's parents with him a youngin moved from Tennessee to Dixie County Florida in a swampy area. Got to know those snakes pretty well 😊

@TheAppalachianStoryteller

3 ай бұрын

Thanks so much, Cathy! Have a blessed day, my friend

JD this was a good story. Thank you.

@TheAppalachianStoryteller

3 ай бұрын

Thank you 😊

If you could narrate a series of CD’s and go with that now that would be great. Between the stories you tell and your voice goes together great. The way you talk fits right in with the stories. Might be an idea you could think about buddy.

@TheAppalachianStoryteller

3 ай бұрын

Preciate the tip

That Rufus feller got above his raising. Mom said politicians were crooked as a dogs hind leg. During probition, government allowed grandpa to make liquor for them, but caught grandpa making some for himself and took his teacher license. That was what my dad said. Thanks so much for your videos. If the good lords willing and the creek dont rise, I am moving back home. You are heaven sent. My husband passed Feb 9. Your videos are helping me cope. God bless you.

Beautiful mountain scenery... great story😊..

@TheAppalachianStoryteller

3 ай бұрын

Thank you!

my mother grew up in fishin creek kentucky. she always had stories to tell about our uncle logan who had been in the civil war. there are lots of story tellers from that area. we kids loved the stories. if you have any stories about the pulasky county area i would like to hear them.

Just spaked a fat J time to sit back drink this coffee and listen to the great story teller

@TheAppalachianStoryteller

3 ай бұрын

Hope you enjoy

@shawntailor5485

3 күн бұрын

Big ole Fatty , glass of Pa's wine and listening to stories from Appalachian story teller.

My family looks forward to your stories. Thank you. Wish we could support you too but this being our main entertainment at this time we have 0 funds left at the end of the day. Again Thank you

@TheAppalachianStoryteller

3 ай бұрын

Watching these videos is supporting me and I think you so much!!

@samanthashaw8329

3 ай бұрын

It's insane how high cable or satellite television had gotten. Luckily for our phones if our cable has an outage the cellphones have internet that can be used to watch pretty much any show we want on the phone or tv some people have a tablet instead of cellphones that have internet capabilities too. So either with a cell or tablet I can cast to my smart tv to watch channels on KZread but on bigger screens and it doesn't cost me any extra except what I pay for cell service I also use the free tv streaming apps as well

Thanks JD I hope you have a great weekend.

@TheAppalachianStoryteller

3 ай бұрын

Thank you- going camping at the lake

You could say that distrust of politicians is still alive and well in some circles...😏 great story... thanks JD.. have a wonderful weekend 😎👍

@TheAppalachianStoryteller

3 ай бұрын

oh yeah, its still real!

Awesome tales JD, could listen all day. ❤️🍁🙏

@TheAppalachianStoryteller

3 ай бұрын

Thank you, my Canadian friend. Hope it’s not too cold up there today. It’s a little bit cloudy and sprinkling here in East Tennessee, but I’m gonna take the camper out to the lake anyway.

Very poetic !

@TheAppalachianStoryteller

3 ай бұрын

Thank you for noticing that I really take pride in the word smithing in these stories

I loved the story. JD, you have such a colorful way of telling a story.

@TheAppalachianStoryteller

3 ай бұрын

I call it wordsmithing

I've just recently been introduced to your videos, and I'm hooked. 😉 Awesome stories! ❤

@TheAppalachianStoryteller

3 ай бұрын

Well, we are certainly glad to have you here my friend pull up a chair make yourself comfortable and make yourself ride at home

Awesome story JD. Have a blessed weekend, brother.🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽

@TheAppalachianStoryteller

3 ай бұрын

Thanks Raymond. Hope you have a great weekend, brother.

Really enjoyed the story you got to watch those rattlesnakes 🐍 they'll getcha

@TheAppalachianStoryteller

3 ай бұрын

Thank you Bella

Hello JD great storytelling as usual. Sounds like Rufus got his come upins, got bit by one of his own. A snake in the grass.

@TheAppalachianStoryteller

3 ай бұрын

Yep, y’all gotta be careful out there for sure

you do a good job JD, thank you for all your work it blesses a lot of us folks,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

@TheAppalachianStoryteller

3 ай бұрын

Thank you so much 😊

Also, my great grandday was a moonshiner in Wayne county not far from Lawrenceburg and the Alabama border! My great grandfather youse to send moonshine to my grandfather in the mail when he worked up north. Federal offense! 😂 Raised on moonshine and died drinking!

As always excellent. Thank you and God bless you and yours.

@TheAppalachianStoryteller

3 ай бұрын

Thank you 😊

We liked this story. You always tell them so well. Makes it very believable.

@TheAppalachianStoryteller

3 ай бұрын

❤️

Good Sunday morning from Northern Illinois. Thanks JD for another great story to start off my day. Y'all stay safe out there 🙏

@TheAppalachianStoryteller

3 ай бұрын

Thanks, big iron. Hope you enjoy your Sunday brother. I always look forward to your comments. Have a good one.

@bigiron8831

3 ай бұрын

@@TheAppalachianStoryteller Stay safe JD and keep sharing the happiness 😊 ✌

Another marvelous story! Thank you JD. The music and sound effects were so awesome! God bless you! I can’t wait to get the beautiful candles I ordered from you. From Canadice NY ❤

@TheAppalachianStoryteller

3 ай бұрын

Awesome thank you so much for the candle order we custom make each of them one at a time

Good morning, and happy Saturday!

@TheAppalachianStoryteller

3 ай бұрын

Same to you Robbie

Great day for a Great story. Thanks JD❤❤❤❤❤

@TheAppalachianStoryteller

3 ай бұрын

Thank you so much, my friend. Hope you’re having a great weekend.

Oh boy storey time! Another one from Thunderhead, Lucky me!

@TheAppalachianStoryteller

3 ай бұрын

❤️

Great way to start my weekend with one of your stories! Have a wonderful day! 😊

@TheAppalachianStoryteller

3 ай бұрын

Hope you enjoyed it!

@laura6796

3 ай бұрын

I did!

That truly is a sad story, it shows how pure evil can darken a man's very soul.

@TheAppalachianStoryteller

Ай бұрын

It really is and it was a hard story to tell, but the family should not be forgotten

Always a well told story JD.

@TheAppalachianStoryteller

3 ай бұрын

Thanks, James how’s everything going in your neck of the woods? It’s cloudy and a little bit wet here in East Tennessee.

@jamessmith7691

3 ай бұрын

@@TheAppalachianStoryteller Well little by little spring is sneaking in.

⚘thank you

@TheAppalachianStoryteller

3 ай бұрын

Thank you 😊

Thank you

@TheAppalachianStoryteller

3 ай бұрын

💜

Great story Jd have a blessed day Amen 🙏

@TheAppalachianStoryteller

3 ай бұрын

Be blessed my friend

Many men have just disappeared in these old mountains here.....Thanks again my friends from an Old F-4 II Pilot Shoe🇺🇸

@TheAppalachianStoryteller

2 ай бұрын

Thank you brother

Good story, J.D.

@TheAppalachianStoryteller

3 ай бұрын

Thanks John!

Thank you J.D.

@TheAppalachianStoryteller

3 ай бұрын

Thank you so much for watching. Have a blessed day, my friend.

Ordered the book, would love CDs of these stories...jus'sayin' 😉 Much love JD❤

@TheAppalachianStoryteller

3 ай бұрын

Thank you so much Diane really appreciate that and one day maybe some CDs will come out. Thank you for your support support and have a blessed day.

A great story. The naration was spot on.

@TheAppalachianStoryteller

3 ай бұрын

Thank you!

If you think about it, there’s pictures and a couple sound effects, but there’s not much production value to these videos. What makes them so interesting is the human talent of storytelling - which is a southern tradition in entertainment. Storytelling is part of southern culture, and the narrator of this channel is good at it!

@TheAppalachianStoryteller

Ай бұрын

Yes, the art of storytelling is what this channel is about

Enjoyed the story!😊

@TheAppalachianStoryteller

3 ай бұрын

Thank you, Edward. Hope you have a great day, brother.

Morning sir.

@TheAppalachianStoryteller

3 ай бұрын

👋

Woooo dogie mama always taught me to never play with snake you always get bit what story i enjoyed it

@TheAppalachianStoryteller

3 ай бұрын

yup, that's good advice

Great story!

@TheAppalachianStoryteller

3 ай бұрын

Thank you so much, my friend. Hope you’re having a fabulous Saturday.

@karena2685

3 ай бұрын

@@TheAppalachianStoryteller it’s a beautiful day here in Roanoke VA ☀️

Even though I'm from Southern Texas these stories from West Virginia Tennessee or Kentucky are always so damn cool and very relaxing for some reason to me.

@TheAppalachianStoryteller

3 ай бұрын

We are glad to have you here my friend

Excellent story

@TheAppalachianStoryteller

3 ай бұрын

Thanks Stone, preciate you brother

Another Great Video 🦌

@TheAppalachianStoryteller

3 ай бұрын

Thank you William

Justice was served.

@TheAppalachianStoryteller

Ай бұрын

sure was!

Good story my friend!

@TheAppalachianStoryteller

3 ай бұрын

Thank you brother!

Awesome story

@TheAppalachianStoryteller

2 ай бұрын

Thank you 😀

Jd I’m going to try to get a book from you soon buddy. Hospital bills keep getting every penny I can scrape up. No tellin how much this cancer has costed me and will in the future.

@TheAppalachianStoryteller

3 ай бұрын

You take care of yourself and your family- don’t worry bout that book my friend

Yeah..... you if ain't got like me...... but you ... like , love me .. towards God's,eyes❤

I think ole Ruffus mighta fell in one of those disappearing holes, like people used to throw their trash in!!😮😮

@TheAppalachianStoryteller

3 ай бұрын

Yup

I just learned how Mt.dew got it's name 😅

@TheAppalachianStoryteller

3 ай бұрын

❤️

Great story

@TheAppalachianStoryteller

3 ай бұрын

Glad you enjoyed it!

A great man once sang "a country boy can survive" . Too bad Rufus lost his country boy way...

@TheAppalachianStoryteller

3 ай бұрын

Exactly well said my friend

It is in Shelbyville TN. I am not sure if it is in the Appalachian Mountains, but you should look into the horse named Jim Key. His Grave is in Shelbyville TN. It would be a good story for you just to read. Have a good day.

@TheAppalachianStoryteller

3 ай бұрын

Thanks for the idea, ill look into it

Every time I listen to these I think of Steve Earl 😅😂

@TheAppalachianStoryteller

3 ай бұрын

🤣

I don't like snake's! But I love your stories.😮❤

@TheAppalachianStoryteller

3 ай бұрын

Thank you!

It's a family tradition!

@TheAppalachianStoryteller

3 ай бұрын

Yes, sir

My grandma always said only good snake was a dead snake

@TheAppalachianStoryteller

3 ай бұрын

Agreed

Jd good morning my friend

@TheAppalachianStoryteller

3 ай бұрын

👋

👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻🥰

I once knew a rattlesnake

@TheAppalachianStoryteller

3 ай бұрын

I’ve known a few in my day

❤

@TheAppalachianStoryteller

3 ай бұрын

💜

Has anyone heard if JD has a new book out or not? I hear that he might. Lol 🤣🤣🤣 JK enjoy your content.

@TheAppalachianStoryteller

3 ай бұрын

That book is how I make a living and feed my family, and I don’t work for a company that sponsors me- so I try to put the word out

@hbhkennel918

3 ай бұрын

​@@TheAppalachianStorytellerHey brother I was just needling you a little. I wish you all the best. Like I said I really enjoy your content.

If nobody saw Rufus again, nor went looking for him, then chances are that his body was predated upon by all the animals

@TheAppalachianStoryteller

3 ай бұрын

You might be right about that

A guy from your neighborhood turning you in to go to jail for moonshine? He should have been taught a lesson! Don’t you talk to the law! The mountains are vast people go missing!

@TheAppalachianStoryteller

Ай бұрын

Exactly

Ether way it is best not to mess with a rattlesnake

@TheAppalachianStoryteller

2 ай бұрын

Yup

When I met my husband (while visiting the mountains) he had killed a rattlesnake and made a hat band out of the skin. For a city girl that was pretty wild lol

He just might’of!

@TheAppalachianStoryteller

3 ай бұрын

Yup, if I was a betting man, I’d say he did

Seems like a mountain boy, turned on his own. He may have forgotten where he came from. He should have reconsidered. The hole in his hat, told him what to expect.

@TheAppalachianStoryteller

3 ай бұрын

Exactly the hole in the hat, as if that wasn’t enough of a warning

@Victoria-OneLove4AllPeople

3 ай бұрын

@@TheAppalachianStoryteller I was just thinking that in the language of the mountain men, it was a promise. I've been places around where I live. There are so many people who are cousins, or kin by marriage that it's nearly impossible for an "outsider" to be accepted.

@TheAppalachianStoryteller

3 ай бұрын

@@Victoria-OneLove4AllPeople You are exactly right, back in those days, there were certain things that would make a man disappear, and an insult like the one uttered in this video was just the recipe.

@Victoria-OneLove4AllPeople

3 ай бұрын

@@TheAppalachianStoryteller The insult was a definitely a problem. The day the elected lost the respect, trust and pride of the mountain people who elected him. Was the day he, instead of helping the mountain people as expected, sided with the town folk. While taking cheap shots, moved in for an "easy kill" relying on information gleaned by common knowledge of youth. He broke the code of the mountains and to further feather his comfy nest and self presumed illustrious career. He shot himself in the foot, when he began to jail his fellow mountain friends. From then on he was a dead man walking. He got too far above his raising. Letting arrogance and self importance cloud his vision and supercede logic. That's one of the many reasons that I enjoy your multi layered stories. Each one has many hidden meanings.

# 691…a man aunt not torment to many folk.. that’s assured.. side note.. the book you spoke of.. is it second edition.. if so im’a buy’n that to go with your first..my mean’n are these new tales a new book.???… swain county… North Carolina.. I looked it up.. Thunder head mountain…. My my my

@TheAppalachianStoryteller

3 ай бұрын

I don’t have new book aside the one you already have, I’m currently writing another one

15:43 I grew up next door to a fella like that 🤮🤮🤮🤮

i think a bigfoot got him,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,:)

@TheAppalachianStoryteller

3 ай бұрын

Could be no tell what’s in those mountains